Making New Brotherly Friends

by Francisco

I really enjoy life a lot; one thing that I enjoy about life is making new friends with my
African-American brothers and sisters. I enjoy making new friends with them whether they are classified
as superstars or non-superstars, because I understand their struggles and what they are experiencing
in life. Everyone has something unique about his or herself; and, what I like most about making new
friends is finding out what makes a person unique.

One goal I would like to accomplish is to make new friends while I improve relationships with my old
ones as life progresses. “Everyone is kneaded out of the same dough, but not baked in the same oven.”
This is a quote from a Yiddish proverb that has inspired me to accomplish my goal. I have accomplished
part of this goal by learning to be myself, being in the right place at the right time, and venturing
out to new geographical locations to establish new and uplifting relationships.

One thing that stands out the most to me from the quote is that I have worked on making new friends
from different places; which is almost similar to the part of the quote that says “not baked in the
same oven.” In fact, one of my best friends is from another city, while I reside many miles away from
him. Another one of my friends is from another state, so there is definitely a correspondence between
the quote and knowing my brothers and sisters from different geographical locations. When I get to meet
African-Americans from different cities, states, or countries, I get excited because it allows me to
act the way I want to and be introduced to different things rather than being in one location all the
time.

Another notable example that relates to my quote is that I am able to act myself when I greet my
new brothers and sisters as friends. Obviously nobody’s the same, so it’s great to see different
personalities shine when I make new friends. By one being his or herself when meeting a new friend, it
keeps the relationship healthy. It allows a person to know that the way he or she is acting towards a
friend is what they’re being accepted for. For example, one of my best friends plays soccer, is African,
has five brothers and sisters, is addicted to fried chicken, and likes rap and only rap. On the other
hand, I don’t play soccer, I only have two brothers and sisters, I am more addicted to burritos than
chicken, I am Jamaican, and I like other genres of music, rather than just rap. So obviously, my African
brother and I were not baked out of the same oven, so to speak.

Finally, being in the right place at the right time is another example that resonates from my
quote. I had the honor of competing in the National Catholic Forensics League which was held in
Chicago, Illinois. On the way to the competition I met another person who has since become one of my
best friends, Erik. Through we enjoy different music, listen to similar radio stations, and read what
most people I know have never even heard of before, by the end of the competition we were even better
friends.

While attending the NAACP ACT-SO competition in Crystal City, Virginia, I experienced
relationships on an unprecedented scale from across America. These are relationships which will
probably last a lifetime. There were brothers and sisters from every state and different ancestry
competing. We eat, talked, went to the malls, networked, and just had a great time together. This is
what I called being in the right place at the right time, with the right people.

The examples generated from my quote blend together very well, “We’re all kneaded out of the same
dough, but not baked in the same oven.” Through being myself towards others, traveling to different
places, meeting my African-American brothers and sisters, and being in the right place at the right
time, I have been able to notice how I am achieving my goal as I continue to expand my horizon and
establish new brotherly relationships.